Bachelor of Commerce (B.Comm.)

Undergraduate Business Degree Program

Program Overview

Newly admitted and continuing students will complete the curriculum below. Students first admitted to Edwards prior to 2011 should contact an advisor regarding their program of study.

All students complete the curriculum in place at time of first admission to the B.Comm. degree program. Edwards ensures that students are not disadvantaged by changes to curriculum after first admission. However, students returning to the program after an absence of 5 or more years will be placed under the curriculum requirements in effect on the date of readmission.

In 2006 and thereafter, upon first admission to the Edwards School of Business, students must complete the degree requirements within a ten (10) year time period. Under exceptional circumstances, the School may grant an extension.

Majors

Edwards undergraduate students can major in one of six areas.

Each major has required courses that all students must complete, and some also have specified elective courses. All majors are restricted except for Management. The criterion for acceptance into a restricted major is academic performance. All students must apply for acceptance to a major through Program Planning in February of their second year.

The Accounting major is designed to provide students with the general, business and accounting knowledge necessary for them to succeed as professional accountants. Since accounting is a dynamic field, all accounting majors will learn how to keep their knowledge up-to-date so they can continue to grow throughout their professional careers.

Accounting majors will also acquire the communication, computer and interpersonal skills necessary to successfully resolve complex problems in unstructured settings. Accounting majors also benefit from participation in activities such as the Volunteer Tax Program where fourth year accounting students volunteer their time to prepare tax returns for seniors and people with disabilities.

Post-Degree

Most students who major in accounting choose to pursue a professional accounting designation after completing a B.Comm. degree. The accounting profession in Canada has united under the single banner of Chartered Professional Accountant – CPA. The new professional program is called the CPA-PEP and it leads to the CPA designation.

The finance industry expanded at a fast pace for almost three decades. Currently, the industry is a major employer. It ranks behind only construction and health care in the number of jobs. The major banks alone employ more than 170,000 individuals and there are no signs that this situation will change any time soon. As the number of individuals retiring over the next ten years increases, the need for financial services employees is also likely to increase.

The Finance Department is well positioned to prepare students for future careers in finance. The faculty are competent, dedicated educators, experts in their fields of specialization, and they appreciate their students’ needs and aspirations. The courses and topics are carefully selected to provide students with specialized financial knowledge and the necessary management skills to be competent financial managers. Students who major in finance graduate well trained and ready to compete and succeed in the market place.

Students who are thinking about majoring in Human Resources (HR) should consider the following questions...

How can a firm attract, engage, and retain the right employees?

On what basis should one employee be paid more than another?

How should a manager give feedback to employees about their performance?

How should an employer deal with unions?

What are the legal constraints in how managers deal with employees?

How should an organization be structured to maximize its likelihood of success?

These are merely a few of the concerns of the human resource specialist. These issues are so important that they may determine the fate of the organization, and the human resources major prepares students to handle these decisions wisely and professionally.

Human resource specialists find it rewarding to know their work has a direct, immediate impact on their organization.

The Management major is designed for those students who seek a business education and do not wish to narrow their focus to a specific functional area. Students within the major have significant flexibility to take a collection of courses from accounting, finance, human resource management, marketing, management and operations management.

You do not have to be a specialist in order to obtain a good position with an employer after graduation. Many employers prefer to hire individuals with a broad range of education, given that students complete a high number of senior classes in the functional areas to enhance their knowledge base. Individuals with broad skills may be more suited to adapt to today’s rapidly changing business environment than those with a narrower background of education.

If your interests range across the many areas of business, the Management major is right for you.

Possible career options: consultant; event planner; small business owner; entrepreneur; general managerCourses offered on: international business; Aboriginal business in Canada; entrepreneurship; consulting; and classes from all other major areas

Marketing is part of every aspect of your daily life. The package design of the goods and services you buy, the atmosphere of the stores where you shop, and the radio and television commercials you hear are created by marketers. You, yourself use marketing when you craft your resume to sell your skills to potential employers.

The Marketing major covers a broad array of these marketing topics, strategies, and skills, ranging from conducting marketing research to managing brands to understanding consumer behaviour to creating successful advertising campaigns.

Individuals who are successful marketers tend to be excellent communicators, possess good analytical and decision-making skills, and enjoy working with a variety of different people. If you have these abilities and interests, consider starting your career in marketing at the Edwards School of Business.

Operations Management (OM) deals with the management of all activities directly related to the design and delivery of services, manufacturing and production of goods, and management of supply chains. It is a functional area responsible for satisfying customer needs and requirements, the efficient management of processes, and the transformation of raw materials and inputs into consumer goods and services. The success of world class quality, productivity, and efficiency in the production and delivery of goods and services to customers has been and continues to be a critical challenge for managements of all organizations.

If you are interested in distribution, purchasing, materials management, forecasting, supply chain management, logistics or total quality management, in manufacturing or service organizations, this field provides challenging and exciting career opportunities for you.